Former Senate President, Ken Nnamani, has vehemently denied allegations that he interfered in the judicial process concerning the removal of ex-Adamawa Senator Elisha Abbo.
In a statement issued on Saturday, Nnamani described the claim as a “blatant lie,” and revealed that he is considering legal action in response to the false allegations.
The controversy began when Abbo, during an interview on Arise Television last Wednesday, accused Nnamani of visiting him after a court ruling that nullified his election.
Abbo claimed that Nnamani had pleaded on behalf of a judge to address the “miscarriage of justice” that led to his removal from the Senate. However, Nnamani quickly denied the claim, calling it a fabricated event.
“My greatest surprise was to hear him state that Senator Ken Nnamani visited him to plead with him on behalf of a judge for the miscarriage of justice. This statement is a blatant lie. I do not know how Senator Abbo can boldly fabricate an event that never happened to buttress his allegation of judicial miscarriage against him,” Nnamani said in his statement.
The former Senate President emphasized that he had no involvement in Abbo’s case and that he had never visited the ex-senator in his residence, nor had they discussed any legal matters.
“For the avoidance of doubt, I have never visited Senator Elisha Abbo at his house or anywhere. I do not know where he lives,” Nnamani stated, making it clear that their only interaction was a social visit initiated by Abbo, during which no political or legal issues were discussed.
Nnamani expressed his disappointment that a former senator would fabricate such claims in an attempt to create a false narrative.
He lamented that this was part of a broader trend of political drama, particularly in the current climate. “While I contemplate private legal action for Senator Abbo’s libelous statements, I want the public to completely disregard his falsehood,” he stated.
He also reaffirmed his commitment to maintaining integrity throughout his career and emphasized that he would not be dragged into falsehoods.
“I have had a sterling and distinguished public service career. I am determined to maintain my integrity and commitment to excellence till the end of my life,” Nnamani concluded.
Abbo’s removal from the Senate followed a ruling by the Court of Appeal in October 2023, which found that the February 25, 2023 senatorial election in Adamawa Central was marred by non-compliance with the Electoral Act.
The court ruled that Amos Yohanna of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had won the election after invalidating some votes, and directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to issue the certificate of return to Yohanna